


That secret that we know that we don't know how to tell

by Equinoxe



Series: You, me, and him [2]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 03:16:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8187440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Equinoxe/pseuds/Equinoxe
Summary: Alec and James thought they were lucky to have each other. Finding another person who would tolerate them had never been a choice, until it was.





	

 

James Bond had a peculiar hobby, and Alec Trelevan was the worst kind of enabler.

He had known James since their days in boarding school. James' parents passed away and Alec's home was ripped apart by alcohol. They had known each other for so long they didn't care why or how, and they found comfort in it.

James was glad to have someone on his back, who wouldn’t mind that he was a troublesome hoarder, like he didn’t mind that Alec enjoyed violence a bit too much. Alec thought he was lucky James tolerated him, while James internally thought it was him who was lucky. They worked well together and their friendship hadn't fallen apart yet because of James' hobby. Nothing else would break them, they'd like to believe.

But this of course didn’t mean they carry on without any disruption. 

 

 

It was Alec who saw Q first.

The scrawny kid in Intro to Russian Lit class, Alec dubbed. Always came to lessons on time, except a time when he entered sporting a massive bruise on his cheek, fifteen minutes late. He walked funnily and avoided any eye contact.

Usually on the other side of the thing, Alec knew straightway what was going on. He didn't realise bullying prevailed in university too, he told James that much.

Scrawny kid was with his laptop all the time. He did great with his essays and quizzes. But he didn't interact with anyone, he ate lunch alone, and looked so lost every time they had to do group discussion.

Alec watched him from the back of the room all term, watched him taking notes on his laptop, watched him drowsed off in one particular boring lecture, watched him biting down on his lower lip but wouldn’t add anything to the discussion. Because _those lips_. 

James was the one with obsession, Alec was just caught in the whirlwind.

This time around, the whirlwind reversed.

Alec wouldn't stop talking about the kid, whom Bond was sure they shouldn't be calling the kid, as he suspected was in the same year as them. Alec followed him around the campus, learnt what the guy liked, and where he lived.

The infatuation hit Alec hard that he was practically radiating with it. Alec wanted him like James had wanted his treasures, wanted to be able to see, hear, and touch, wanted to have him, own him, keep him.

It was wrong to want a human like that, James wanted to say, but he couldn't, because he understood such feelings of pure, unadulterated _want_.

 

 

They devised a plan. If Alec wanted him to stay in their lives, there was no other choice than to get him involve with James' little hobby. They already knew the kid was a tech genius, so all they needed to do was to plant a seed.

They put the announcement everywhere the kid frequented: department's common room, science library, street lamp posts on the way to this dorm, in front of lecture halls. Then they waited, and waited, and waited.

After rejecting the total of 12 people and weeks of waiting, The Kid called.

James had to start. Alec was by then a miserable bundle of aggressive energy. The wait wore him down. Never had they had a plan without a fixed wrap-up date before, neither Alec was  one with patience. Bond still resented his 14th century painting Alec tore apart to this day.

Fortunately, The Kid was intrigued. He was confused at first but caught on quickly. James gently eased him into his hobby while Alec watched from afar.

The kid was brilliant to work with, to talk to, and to watch. James thought about the fun they would have, and the treasures, but mostly the fun.

Plus, now they knew the kid liked to be called Q. He was relieved to finally put a name to the face.

 

 

"We should keep Q." James dropped casually one day.

Alec punched him in the gut, " _I_ will keep him," he snarled.

James laughed through his pain, Alec was such a jealous fuck. He introduced Alec to Q the next day.

 

 

Having met with Q, Alec calmed down. They struggled with Alec's control for a few weeks. James was both annihilated and surprised; Alec had never wanted anything, let alone anyone, like this.

It was suffocating at first, the three of them in the same room. Tension high in the air, James watched in a daze as Alec's hands trembled when he reached to give Q a tap on his shoulder. It was simultaneously amusing and mesmerising to watch a version of Alec he hadn’t known. 

When they finally eased into routine, things got better. So, so much better that James couldn't imagine a life they had before Q.

"It's scary." Alec told him in one of their nights alone. "It's so scary James, and so crazy. How can anyone likes someone so much? How can I like someone so much and find out that someone," he took another gulp of gin, "is so perfect."

"So fucking perfect."

The whisper lingered in the room. James thought about it, and he could only agree.

 

 

_I like him too Alec. I'm sorry._

James sent Alec a text this time to avoid the punch. But Alec's fist met his face anyway, when he opened his door fifteen minutes later.

 

 

"What happened to your face?" Q asked when they next met, when Bond still sporting an ugly bruise on his cheek.

"Something's gone a bit out of plan." He laughed dryly, averting his eyes to the paling Alec on the other side of the room.

"Do you need an icepack? I'm going down to the corner shop anyway."

"No." Alec's too quick reply had Q looking at him, confused.

James wouldn't lie, the sight of Alec squirming was oddly satisfying. The Russian man slowly came to his sense and cleared his throat.

"Why don't we order something? Indian?"

 

 

There were times that Alec wanted to kill James still. But because it was James, sharing Q was at least bearable. There were times that he absolutely hated James' gut, and then there were times that he was thankful James was there.

"How's he?" Alec asked as soon as the door was opened.

"Sleeping."

"Do you reckon we need to bring him to hospital? What pills did you give him? Are you sure--"

"Alec, easy."

James opened the door wider.

"It's just a flu, and we'll watch him tonight to make sure he will be all right, ok?"

Alec sighed and nodded.

 

 

Thursday night. Thursday night was curry club.

"Can you fucking hurry I'm STARVING!!!" Q shouted from the sofa, breaking James' concentration on selecting between cashmere and wool.

"Where's Alec?" James asked from the bedroom, throwing a cashmere jumper over his shirt at last. "He said he'd be here by seven."

"He's at the pub getting us a table." Another shout. James hurried with his socks and shoes. He walked out of the room to see Q on sofa in flannel shirt and hoodies.

"I'm not walking with you." Q stood up and adjusted his glasses. Disdain towards James' outfit was clear in his eyes.

"Aw come on,"

They headed out of the flat, locked the door, and started their way to the pub. James had his arm over Q's shoulders the whole walk. Alec kicked him, hard, under the table while Q happily ate his curry.

"Is everything alright?" Q asked.

Alec said yes and Q gave a bright smile in return.

James snorted, but honestly, he couldn't think of a better Thursday night.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
